7 Home Republicans Who Modified Their Minds on the Respect for Marriage Act

The Respect for Marriage Act will possible quickly be signed into legislation by President Joe Biden after the Home of Representatives gave its closing approval on Thursday.

The invoice handed 258-169, with each Democrat voting in its favor in addition to 39 Republicans. 100 and sixty-nine Republicans voted in opposition to the invoice with one voting “current” and 4 not voting, The Every day Sign beforehand reported.

Seven congressional Republicans who voted in favor of the invoice in July voted in opposition to it on Thursday. They’re Cliff Bentz (Ore.), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Brian Mast (Fla.), Dan Meuser (Pa.), Scott Perry (Pa.), Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.), and Jefferson Van Drew (N.J.).

The Every day Sign contacted all seven Home Republicans for a remark explaining why they modified their votes. Among the congressional places of work directed The Every day Sign to remarks made earlier within the day or earlier this week.

“What’s our job right here? Our job … we’re going to take an oath in a few weeks right here, actually outlining our job, supporting and defending the Structure of the USA of America in opposition to all enemies, overseas and home,” Mast mentioned.

“I took that oath as a member of the navy. I’ve taken that oath quite a few occasions as a member of the U.S. Home of Representatives. The U.S. Home of Representatives, bicameral physique, 435 of us meant to do the work of defending we the folks of the USA of America who elect us,” mentioned Mast.

Meuser expressed his disappointment with the Senate in a press release on Thursday.

“I’m a long-standing supporter of upholding our nation’s promise of non-public and non secular freedoms. It’s unlucky that the Senate missed a vital alternative to affirm the present legislation by passing the Home model of the ‘Respect for Marriage Act,’” Meuser mentioned.

“The Senate model, not like the unique Home model, consists of language that places non secular freedoms in jeopardy and opens up organizations to civil fits,” Meuser added.

Meuser continued:

Republicans proposed a number of amendments to totally defend non secular liberties and strengthen conscience protections. Sadly, Democrats rejected these amendments and handed a flawed invoice.

Subsequently, I can not assist the Senate Modification to the Respect for Marriage Act as a result of it jeopardizes the fundamental non secular liberties of each American.

Salazar mentioned she was “upset” by the ultimate Home model of the invoice.

“I’m upset to see the ultimate Home model of the Respect for Marriage Act didn’t embody full protections for church buildings and People with sincerely held non secular beliefs,” Salazar mentioned in a press release on Thursday.

“I voted for the primary model of the invoice as a result of I imagine in human dignity and respect for all people. Nevertheless, we can not cross legal guidelines that advance one curiosity and bypass long-held authorized protections for others,” Salazar mentioned.

The Florida congresswoman continued:

Sadly, Senate Republicans had been prevented from together with important protections for non secular People within the model that handed, together with the Rubio and Lee Amendments. We should uphold the rights of all People and defend our religions establishments and religion group.

Van Drew defined why he couldn’t assist the invoice in a press release.

“I’m a supportive of a invoice that might strictly codify the Supreme Court docket choice in Obergefell. Nevertheless, whereas modifications within the Senate so as to add non secular protections had been effectively intentioned, it failed to make sure that all non secular organizations can be shielded from provisions on this invoice,” Van Drew mentioned.

“The invoice creates a particular protected class that failed to incorporate non secular charities, foster companies, and academic services, which places them at risk of litigation. Subsequently, I couldn’t assist this closing model,” the New Jersey congressman mentioned.

In a press release earlier this week, Diaz-Balart additionally defined why he couldn’t assist the ultimate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.

“The idea of all states respecting different states’ choices on marriage legal guidelines is deeply rooted in American jurisprudence and custom. Equally, our Founders understood that non secular liberties are sacred and susceptible, and should all the time be vigorously protected,” Diaz-Balart tweeted on Monday.

The Florida congressman added:

My document exhibits that I’m a long-standing advocate in opposition to discrimination of all sorts.

I, nonetheless, can not assist any effort that undermines non secular liberties by failing to offer reputable safeguards for Religion-Primarily based organizations that object based mostly on their deeply-held non secular beliefs.

Jessica Anderson, government director of Heritage Motion for America, applauded the seven Republican members of Congress for his or her choice. 

“Home members not often get the chance to shift their votes on main items of laws, however the Respect for Marriage Act was a singular exception. We applaud the seven conservative members who used this second likelihood to shift their votes and oppose this laws and its assaults on non secular liberty,” Anderson mentioned in an emailed assertion to The Every day Sign. (The Every day Sign is the information outlet of The Heritage Basis.)

“The rising opposition to this laws additional underscores the distinction that conservative teams and grassroots activists could make in Washington. The Heritage Basis and Heritage Motion won’t cease combating alongside the American folks to guard non secular liberty and our foundational freedoms,” Anderson mentioned.

Listed here are the Republicans who voted for the invoice, in keeping with preliminary reports. Most additionally voted for it in July, however some didn’t:

Kelly Armstrong (N.D.) 

Don Bacon (Neb.) 

Ken Calvert (Calif.) 

Kat Cammack (Fla.) 

Mike Carey (Ohio) 

Liz Cheney (Wyo.) 

John Curtis (Utah) 

Rodney Davis (Unwell.) 

Tom Emmer (Minn.) 

Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) 

Mike Gallagher (Wisc.)

Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.) 

Mike Garcia (Calif.) 

Carlos Gimenez (Fla.) 

Tony Gonzales (Texas) 

Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio) 

Jamie Herrera Beutler (Wash.)

Ashley Hinson (Iowa) 

Darrell Issa (Calif.) 

Chris Jacobs (N.Y.) 

David Joyce (Ohio) 

John Katko (N.Y.) 

Nancy Mace (S.C.) 

Nicole Malliotakis (N.Y.) 

Peter Meijer (Mich.) 

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) 

Blake Moore (Utah) 

Dan Newhouse (Wash.) 

Jay Obernolte (Calif.) 

Tom Rice (S.C.) 

Mike Simpson (Idaho) 

Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) 

Bryan Steil (Wis.) 

Chris Stewart (Utah) 

Mike Turner (Ohio) 

Fred Upton (Mich.) 

David Valadao (Calif.) 

Ann Wagner (Mo.) 

Michael Waltz (Fla.) 

Perry and Bentz didn’t instantly reply to The Every day Sign’s request for remark.

Mary Margaret Olohan, Gillian Richards, Virginia Allen, and Tyler O’Neil contributed to this report. This text could also be up to date.

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